The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed authorities to expedite efforts in the repatriation of Pakistanis imprisoned in Thailand and Sri Lanka.
During the hearing of a case pertaining to jailed citizens in Thailand and Sri Lanka, the additional attorney general said the government was negotiating for the repatriation of the prisoners. He said Thailand had asked for $35,000 to return 19 imprisoned Pakistanis.
Observing that the prisoners were facing immense difficulty, CJP Nisar directed the government to arrange the required amount.
The court adjourned hearing for a month.
In 2013, the government paid Rs 16 million for the release of approximately 271 Pakistanis – who were jailed despite completing their sentences due to non-payment of fines. The Foreign Office had stated that 77 prisoners in Dubai were freed between May and June 2013 after payment of approximately Rs8.8 million.
Additionally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had more than Rs 1.3 million for one-way air tickets of 32 destitute Pakistanis for their repatriation from Kuala Lumpur in April, 2013. One Pakistani prisoner in China, who had completed his 5-year sentence in May, 2013 for travelling on fake documents, was released after the payment of Rs 1.6 million from the government exchequer. Another Pakistani languishing in a Nepalese prison for carrying fake Indian currency, was freed in June 2013 after the government paid a fine to the tune of Rs 461,386.
Published in Daily Times, June 7th 2018.
